Sofa-bed.



W. J. KELLY.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION HLED OCT. 5. IBM.

l,223,798s Patented Apr. 24,1917.

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W. J. KELLY.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION men OCT. 5. 1914.

1,223,798, Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

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W. J. KELLY.

SOFA BED.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 19M.

1,223,798, Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

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WILLIAM J. KELLY, OF CLINTON, IOWA.

SOFA-BED.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Application filed October 5, 1914. Serial No. 865,058.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Clinton, Iowa, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sofa-Beds, of which the following is a specification.

My primary objects are to provide improvements in structures of this character to the end of causing the structure to be compact, readily convertible from sofa-forming condition to bed-forming condition, and vice-versa, and other objects, as will be manifest from the following description:

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a sofa bed constructed in accordance with my inventlon, one end of the sofa-bed constructlon being removed, this view being taken A at the line 1 on Fig. 6 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 2 is a section taken at the line 2 on Fig. 1, and viewed in the direction of the arrow, showing one end of the sofa-bed. Fig. 3 is a view in see- "i tional elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 2, the foregoing figures showing the sofa-bed in sofa-forming condition. Fig. 1 is a broken perspective view of certain of the parts forming the sections of the spring mattress, with a locking means employed for releasably holding these sections together. Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 1 of the construction therein illustrated, showing the sofa-bed extended to bed-forming condition.

a? Fig. 6 is a broken plan view of the sofa-bed in the condition illustrated in Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 a broken section taken at the line 7 on Fig. 5, and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

The frame of the sofa-bed construction illustrated is formed of end-members 8 connected together through the medium of an upholstered seat-section 9 bolted to the endmembers 8 as indicated at 10, the ends of the seat-section 9 being provided with upright cleats 11 which bear against the ends 8 and serve to provide a space 12 between the ends 8 and seat 9 at the ends of the sofa-bed. The upholstered back of the sofa-bed is illustrated at 13 and extends within the ends 8 of the structure and is connected with the movable parts thereof, as hereinafter described, a filler-bar 14, preferably hinged to the upper sides of the side-members 8, to

swing upwardly and rearwardly, being provided.

As is usual in constructions of this general type, the mattress is formed in sections foldable relative to each other to permit the mattress to be housed within the confines of the sofa-bed when in sofa-forming condition. In the construction illustrated these parts are foldable into the back portion of the sofa-bed and are concealed by the back 13 which moves upon converting the structure from a bed to a sofa, into a position for covering the mattress-sections. The frame of the woven wire mattress is formed of three relatively movable sections 15, 16 and 17, sections and 17 each having a side-rail 18 and end-rails 19 connected together and the section 16 being more con necting links 20 pivoted to the side-rails 19, as indicated at 21, and connecting these rails together to form a rectangular frame over which the wire fabric 22 is stretched in accordance with common practice, this wire fabric extending continuously from end to end of the sectional mattress-frame thus provided. Connected at its opposite ends with the links 20 is a U-shaped trussbar 23 which extends longitudinally of the mattress and preferably medially thereof, this truss-bar being located at the under side of the mattress when the latter is extended into bed-folding condition, (Figs. 6 and 7), and having interposed between it and the woven wire fabric a series of spiral upholsterers springs 2a which are thus arranged in a line extending longitudinally of the mattress and medially thereof, whereby the mattress is prevented from sagging along the center line of the latter and also from bulging at the end sections when the mattress is in folded position. The trussbar 23 is connected at its deflected portion 25, through the medium of hinges 26, with the upper edge of the back 13 of the sofabed, this back being free excepting for its connection with the truss-bar 23.

The bed-forming portion of the sofa-bed is carried by levers 27 which are pivotally connected at 28 to the ends of the seat 9, the rear ends of these lever being rigidly connected to the mattress-frame section 15, as indicated at 28, and the forward ends of these levers being connected with the ends of springs 29 carried by the ends 8 of the sofa-bed, these springs being located within the recesses 12.

The normal position of the parts of the sofa-bed, namely, when in sofa-forming condition, are represented in Figs. 1, 2 and 3,

wherein the mattress sections 15, 16 and 17 are folded into the position therein illustrated with the truss-bar 23 extending upwardly, into the back of the sofa-bed behind the back section 13 thereof, the latter concealing the mattress, as will be readily understood from the drawings. In this position of the parts the levers 27 rest at their m rear ends upon the upper ends of the rear cleats 11 which thus form stops. When it is desired to convert the sofa-bed from a sofa into a bed, the operator grasps the upper edge of the back 13, and pulls forwardly which causes the mattress sections and back 13 to swing upwardly and forwardly at the pivots 28*, it being preferred that the operator in this operation also grasp the lower edge of the back 13 and in swing it upwardly and forwardly to cause it to clear the upholstery on the seat 9 where it would otherwise rub the latter. lhe operator continues to swing the mattress sections on the pivots 28 until the levers 27 engage stops 27 in which position of the levers 27 the mattress sections 15 and 17 will extend substantially horizontal, with the section 17 extending directly above and in parallel relation to, the section 15. In the 30 folded condition of the mattress, the sections 15 and 17 are releasably held together by a catch-device of any suitable construction, that shown comprising a bar 30 hingedly connected, as indicated at 31, to the end-rail 18 of the section 17 and containing an opening 82 adapted to hook over a lug 83 on the end-rail 18 of the mattress section 15. After the bed-forming portion of the sofa-bed has been moved to the posi- 9 tion just described, the operator releases the catch 30 and thereupon swings the mattress section 17 upwardly and forwardly to a position in which it alines with the mattresssection 15 (Fig. 5), the section 16 of the mattress in this operation unfolding into alining condition with the sections 15 and 17 as represented in this figure, whereby a continuous extended mattress is provided. As before explained, the back 13 is hingedly 59 connected with the truss-bar 23, and the parts of the construction are so proportioned that when the sofa-bel is unfolded to bed-forming'condition, the back 13 will bear at its lower edge upon the floor represented at X and will thus form a support for the truss-bar 23 which effectually aids in supporting the frame of the mattress.

As is common in constructions of this character, an extensible bar is provided at to opposite ends of that section of the mattress which extends beyond the confines'of the frame of the sofa-bed, the bars forming a foot-board and pillow-rest, one of these bars which is duplicated at opposite ends of the structure, is represented at 84:, one end of this bar being pivoted as indicated at 35 to the adjacent link 20 and the other end pivoted, as indicated at 86, to the end of a leg 37 pivoted at 38 to the mattress-frame section 17, the bars just described being so proportioned and pivoted as to cause the bars 37 to be automatically extended to the position represented in Fig. 5 upon unfolding the mattress sections, as hereinbefore described, to support the outer edge of the section 17 in bed-forming condition, and fold into a position of substantial alinement with the side-members 19 of the mattress section 17 when the mattress sections are folded into the back of the sofa-bed, as shown in Fig. 1.

W hen it is desired to transform the structure from a bed to a sofa, the operator by grasping the outer edge of the section 17, in Fig. 5, swings it upwardly and rearwardly to a position in which it extends directly 85 above and parallel with the section 15, the links 20 swinging through about to upright position, in which position of the parts the operator throws the latch '80 into engagement with the pin 33, the legs 37 in this op- 90 eration folding into a position in which they lie flat-wise against the side-members 19' of the section 17 it being understood that in practice the bedding, including the hair or other mattress, would be folded between the sections 15, 16 and 17 The operator then swings the mattress section as a unit upwardly and rearwardly on the pivots 28 to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, the back 13 in this operation being carried by the truss bar 28 to a position for forming theloack of the sofa-bed, as illustrated in this figure.

The springs 29 are provided for the purpose of aiding the operator in swinging the mattress sections to horizontal position and to offer a resistance to the swinging of the mattress sections to the position illustrated in Fig. 1, it being preferred that these springs be so tensioned that when the bedding is in-place within the confines of the folded mattress sections, it will require the exertion of but comparatively slight pull to swing the mattress sections to horizontal position, and the exertion of a comparatively slight pressure to swing these mattress sec- 5 tions to the position illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will be noted that the levers 27 are fulcrumed at such points that the mattress sections 15 will extend quite a material distance above the seat 9, and this is advantageous as it prevents damage to the upholstery of the seat 9 by contact of the wire mattress therewith, and furthermore, causes the bed to occupy a plane above the floor at a very desirable height,

When the sections of the mattress are folded to the position represented in' Figs. 1 and 3, the wire fabric 22 is caused to bag somewhat, and to insure the holdingof the wire fabric out of contact with the seat 9 at all times, when the mattress sections are folded upon each other and the mattress therebetween is also folded, which produces a bulging at the folded end of the mattress, I tie the wire fabric at the inner edge of the section 15, to the truss-bar 23, as through the medium of wires, represented at 39, which serves to hold taut at all times that portion of the wire fabric which is within the confines of theframe section 15, and therefore any bagging produced by the hair or other mattress folded in between the spring mattress sections, will take place at the wire fabric within the confines of the mattress section 17.

WVhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit it thereto as the same may be variously modified and altered without departing from the spirit of my invention.

WVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1.. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a mattress formed of sections pivotally connected together and adapted to fold into the back-portion of the sofa-bed, means pivotally supporting said mattress at its inner section non-coincident with the pivotal connections between said sections, a truss-bar connected with said mattress adjacent the pivotal connections between the sections thereof and bodily movable with the mattress, and means for supporting the trussbar to support the mattress when the latter is extended.

2. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a pivotally supported mattress formed of end sections and an intermediate section pivotally connected together and adapted to fold into the back-portion of the sofa-bed, a truss-bar connected with said intermediate section, means engaging said truss-bar for supporting the latter when the mattress is extended, and means interposed between said truss-bar and the fabric of said mattress for preventing the latter from sagging when the mattress is extended.

3. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a pivotally-supported mattress formed of sections pivotally connected together and foldable into the back portion of the sofa-bed, and a sofa-back connected with said mattress and serving to support the mattress adjacent to the pivotal connections between the mattresssections when the mattress is extended to form a bed.

4. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a pivotally-supported mattress formed of sections pivotally connected together and foldable into the back portion of the sofa-bed, and a sofa-back pivotally connected to said mattress adjacent to the pivotal connections between its sections, and serving to support the mattress adjacent to said pivotal con;

nections when the mattress is extended to form a bed.

5. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a pivotally-supported mattress formed of sections pivotally connected together and foldable into the back portion of the sofa-bed, a truss-bar connected with said mattress adjacent to the pivotal connections between the sections thereof, and a sofa-back pivotally connected with said truss-bar and serving to support the mattress at said truss-bar when the mattress is extended to form a bed.

6. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a pivotally-supported mattress formed of endsections and an intermediate section pivotally connected together and foldable into the back portion of the sofa-bed, a truss-bar connected with said intermediate section and spaced from the wire fabric thereof, a series of springs extending longitudinally of said mattress and interposed between said truss-bar and the wire fabric of said intermediate section, and a sofa-back hingedly connected at its upper end with said trussbar and serving, when said mattress is ex tended into bed-forming condition, to rest at its lower edge upon the floor, thereby supporting said truss-bar from the floor, for the purpose set forth.

7. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a mattress formed of sections pivotally connected together, means pivotally supporting said mattress at its inner section, its outer section being disconnected from the sofa-bed except at its said pivotal connection, a trussbar connected with said mattress adjacent to the pivotal connections between the sections thereof, and means engaging the floor when the mattress is extended and engaging said truss-bar for supporting the mattress.

8. In a sofa-bed, the combination of a mattress formed of end and intermediate sections pivotally connected together and foldable into the back portion of the sofa bed and mounted to be moved from said position into substantially horizontal unfolded position, and a sofa-back connected with a section of the mattress intermediate said end-sections and adapted as said sections are unfolded to move over the seat and downwardly in front thereof into the space below 4 10. In a sofa-bed having a back portion and a seat, the combination of a mattress formed of sections and folded into the backportion of the sofa-bed and mounted to be moved from said position into substantially horizontal unfolded position, a truss-bar connected with said mattress and arranges to extend below said sections when the latter are unfolded, and a sofa-back pivoted adjacent its upper end to said truss-bar.

11. In a device of the class described, a frame-member in combination with a fold able sectional bed-bottom comprising a main section, a foot-section, and a connecting section, and back mounted swinga-bly on said bed-bottom, said connecting section and said back having co-acting brackets, respectively, which are turnably connected, whereby the back is permitted to swing against the main section in its normal position, and to swing downward beneath the bed-bottom when the latter is swung to its bed position, said back when swung forward resting on the floor and serving as a support for the bed.

WVILLI-AM J. KELLY. In presence of V JOSEPH E. GoNDoN, HARRY C. CHAFFEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, I). 6. 

